Overview of the Promise

During his campaign for prime minister, Mark Carney pledged to crack down on drugs, including fentanyl and its precursors, illegal guns, and the smuggling of stolen cars by gangs. The promise included specific actions: training 1000 new Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers, and deploying additional border scanners, drones, and new K-9 teams to target suspicious shipments at land borders, ports, and railyards.

Actions Taken on Cracking Down on Drugs and Fentanyl

The Carney government has introduced measures to address the flow of illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl and its precursors. In February 2025, Prime Minister Carney appointed a new Fentanyl Czar to coordinate efforts against the opioid crisis. Joint investigations by the CBSA and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have led to seizures of synthetic opioids more potent than fentanyl, demonstrating active enforcement. Additionally, federal, provincial, and territorial ministers met in February 2025 to discuss border security and fentanyl, indicating collaborative progress.

Efforts Against Illegal Guns and Stolen Cars

To combat illegal guns, the government has focused on strengthening border measures, with announcements emphasizing tools to stop the flow from the United States. On the National Day Against Gun Violence in June 2025, Prime Minister Carney highlighted new initiatives to crack down on gun smuggling. Regarding stolen cars, while specific seizures are noted in CBSA reports, targeted actions against gang smuggling have been part of broader organized crime crackdowns, including joint operations that address transnational crimes.

Training of New CBSA Officers

The promise to train 1000 new CBSA officers is underway but not yet complete. The government's $1.3-billion border plan, announced earlier in 2025, includes provisions for increasing personnel at the border. Reports indicate ramped-up patrols and enforcement, but as of August 2025, there is no confirmation that the full 1000 officers have been trained and deployed, suggesting this aspect is in progress.

Deployment of Scanners, Drones, and K-9 Teams

Progress has been made on deploying additional technology and resources. The RCMP has implemented drones and 24-hour patrols as part of enhanced border security efforts. CBSA has reported increased use of detection tools at ports and borders. However, the full rollout of new scanners, drones, and K-9 teams across all specified locations—land borders, ports, and railyards—remains ongoing, with some initiatives tied to the broader border plan.

Legislation Proposed or Passed

In June 2025, the Carney government introduced the Strong Borders Act, which aims to strengthen border security, combat organized crime, stop illegal fentanyl, and address money laundering. This bill provides law enforcement with additional tools to secure borders and target suspicious shipments. It directly supports the promise by enabling the deployment of resources like scanners and drones. As of August 2025, the bill has been tabled but not yet passed into law, marking legislative efforts as in progress.

Path to Fulfillment or Failure

For this promise to be considered kept, the government must complete the training and deployment of all 1000 new CBSA officers, fully implement the additional scanners, drones, and K-9 teams across the specified areas, and demonstrate measurable reductions in drug, gun, and stolen car smuggling through official reports. If these actions are not completed by the end of the term or if funding is cut, leading to abandonment of key elements, the promise would be at risk of being broken. Failure to pass supporting legislation like the Strong Borders Act or lack of evidence of impact could result in it being deemed broken.

Overall Status

This promise is in progress.